The Super Tuesday fields are growing once again at PokerStars, with the weekly $1,050 no-limit hold'em tournament attracting more than 400 this week. And a Brazilian player did well again this week, too, as João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten managed to outlast everyone to win this week's tournament and a $66,079.48 first prize following a heads-up deal.

There were 414 entries all told in this week's tournament, which meant a $414,000 prize pool that well exceeded the $325K guarantee with the top 55 finishers splitting those riches.

It took around five-and-a-half hours for the money bubble to burst, then a couple of hours after that they were down to 18 players with ViCiuSMaXiMu the chip leader with more than 1.5 million and João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten next in line with just over 1.1 million.

Nassimovitch (18th) was the next to go, earning $3,537.46. Joshua "slayerv1fan" Hoesel (17th), EPT12 Dublin Main Event champion Niall "Firaldo87" Farrell (16th), benderbei2 (15th), and Dietrich "2pacnrw16" Fast (14th) were then eliminated, each earning $4,308.82. Then MoppyDoodle (13th), prebz (12th), zzwwzzwwzz (11th), and D.END.49 (10th) were successively felted, taking $5,248.40 each from the prize pool.

With fellow Brits ViCiuSMaXiMu and OLDWOLF133 practically dead even for the chip lead at about 1.955 million apiece, the final table was underway.

Seat 1: Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan (Canda) -- 1,268,840
Seat 2: Piero Hace (Poland) -- 759,333
Seat 3: João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten (Brazil) -- 1,690,093
Seat 4: BOBAN94 (Sweden) -- 1,002,517
Seat 5: OLDWOLF133 (United Kingdom) -- 1,955,291
Seat 6: ViCiuSMaXiMu (United Kingdom) -- 1,955,456
Seat 7: _Bartao_ (Norway) -- 674,566
Seat 8: Artem "Artem205" Metalidi (Ukraine) -- 374,264
Seat 9: BillLewinsky (Netherlands) -- 669,640

On just the second hand of the final table, the blinds were 10,000/20,000 when OLDWOLF133 raised to 44,000 from the cutoff, then ViCiuSMaXiMu called from the next seat over. Action folded to Artem "Artem205" Metalidi in the big blind who shoved all-in for 370,264. OLDWOLF13 stepped aside, but ViCiuSMaXiMu made the call.

Metalidi had [Ac][Jh] and needed help against ViCiuSMaXiMu's [Qs][Qh]. But the [Kc][3s][8d][6s][4c] board didn't provide it and Metalidi was out in ninth.

A short while later the blinds were up to 12,500/25,000 when OLDWOLF133 raised to 55,000 from under the gun, then _Bartao_ reraise-shoved for 518,676 from two seats over. It folded around to João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten in the small blind who pushed all-in over the top, forcing a fold from BOBAN94 in the big blind and OLDWOLF133.

Baumgarten had [As][Kc] and had _Bartao_'s [Ac][Qd] dominated. The board came [2h][9c][3s][Kd][8h], and _Bartao_ was done in eighth.

Four hands later, João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten opened for 52,000 from early position, then BillLewinsky shoved for 387,650 and Baumgarten called. BillLewinsky had [8s][8c] but Baumgarten had [Kc][Kd]. The flop came [9s][4s][7h] and the turn the [Tc], giving BillLewinsky an open-ended straight draw, but the river was the [4c] and BillLewinsky fell in seventh.

The remaining six players battled their way into the tournament's 11th hour as the blinds rose to 20,000/40,000. Then a hand arose that saw BOBAN94 limp in from early position, Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan call from the small blind, and Piero Hace check from the big blind. The flop came [4h][Th][7d]. Srinivasan checked, Piero Hace bet 76,320, then BOBAN94 raised the minimum to 152,640. Srinivasan folded, Piero Hace shoved all-in, and BOBAN94 called with the 468,297 left behind.

BOBAN94 had [Ac][Ah] for an overpair, but Piero Hace had enjoyed a big blind special with [7s][4d] for two pair. The turn was the [Qs] and river the [8c], and BOBAN94 was knocked out in sixth.

About a half-hour later it was João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten min-raising to 100,000 from the button and ViCiuSMaXiMu calling from the big blind. The pair saw a flop come all hearts -- [2h][9h][Jh] -- and after ViCiuSMaXiMu checked, Baumgarten fired a bet of 100,000, then ViCiuSMaXiMu check-raised all-in for 719,869, earning a call from Baumgarten.

ViCiuSMaXiMu had [Js][7h] for top pair and a flush draw, but Baumgarten had [Jd][Th] for the same pair with a better kicker plus a better flush draw. The turn was the [8s] and river the [Qs], and ViCiuSMaXiMu's run was over in fifth.

They reached and passed the 11-hour mark, about about 20 minutes later Piero Hace open-shoved a stack from UTG of 943,338 (about 13.5 big blinds) and got a caller in Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan from the big blind. Piero Hace had [Kh][Qs] while Srinivasan had [Qh][Qc], and after a [4d][Js][9c][Jd][2s] runout, Piero Hace was on the rail in fourth.

Four hands later, OLDWOLF133 open-raised the minimum to 140,000 from under the gun, Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan three-bet to 490,000 from the small blind, João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten folded, then OLDWOLF133 pushed all-in for 1,310,104 total and Srinivasan called.

Srinivasan had [6d][6c] while OLDWOLF133 had two live cards with [Ah][Qc]. The board came [2d][8s][3s], then [4d], then [Kc], and OLDWOLF133 took away third-place money.

Soon after the remaining two players paused the tournament to discuss a deal. At that point Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan had the chip edge with 6,224,892 versus the 4,125,108 of João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten. 

They quickly agreed to the proposed figures -- leaving $5,000 for which to play -- and the tournament resumed.

"now lets play a 5k hu sng," said Baumgarten in the chatbox as the first hand as dealt. A few hands after that he would grab the chip advantage from Srinivasan, and by the time they were nearing the tournament's 12-hour mark the final hand took place.

The blinds were 40,000/80,000, and after Baumgarten opened for 173,600 from the button, Srinivasan three-bet to 520,000. Baumgarten then pushed all-in, and Srinivasan called with the 2,354,641 he had behind.

G's zee: [Ts][Tc]
joaoMathias: [Ad][9c]

The [4d][3c][Jc] flop was safe for Srinivasan, but the [Ac] turn card paired Baumgarten. Then came the river -- the [Js] -- and it Baumgarten earned the pot, the extra $5K, and the victory.

Congratulations to João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten for topping a tough Super Tuesday field to win a $66K-plus first prize, and kudos as well to Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan for making it to the heads-up deal and picking up almost as much.

8/2/16 Super Tuesday ($1,050 No-Limit Hold'em) results
Entrants: 414
Prize pool: $414,000
Places paid: 55

1. João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten (Brazil) $66,079.48*
2. Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan (Canada) $64,098.34*
3. OLDWOLF133 (United Kingdom) $40,536.31 
4. Piero Hace (Poland) $29,795.58
5. ViCiuSMaXiMu (United Kingdom) $21,900.80
6. BOBAN94 (Sweden) $16,097.85
7. BillLewinsky (Netherlands) $11,832.45
8. _Bartao_ (Norway) $8,697.27
9. Artem "Artem205" Metalidi (Ukraine) $6,392.82
*denotes two-way deal

"Poker is a great revealer of character, a truism that applies to Presidents as well as to lesser men."

So wrote the poker writer David Spanier, inspired in part by the fact that so many of those who have held the United States' highest office have in fact played the country's favorite card game.

First introduced in the south and west in the early 19th century (not long after the U.S. itself declared its independence), poker soon became a national pastime, with politicians gravitating toward it perhaps in higher numbers than most.

For those at the highest levels of power, strategic parallels between poker and politics are especially apparent. After all, both poker players and presidents are often equally occupied by efforts to establish credibility, to build images, to weigh risks and rewards, to read others for strength and/or weakness, and, of course, to bluff.

With the 2016 presidential campaign moving into its latter stages, it's a shame we can't pit the candidates in a poker game against one another, as doing so could well reveal more of their characters than is shown in debates and stump speeches.

Here's a look back at a few poker-playing presidents, some of whom at times seemed to play the game with as much energy and study as they did running the country.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN (1861-1865, Republican)

Before becoming the country's first president, George Washington gambled at cards, keeping close records of wins and losses on a page in a ledger book titled "Cards and Other Play." Whist was Washington's favored game, as was the case for other early presidents like James Madison who enjoyed playing "for half bits" after dinner.

Eventually the new game of poker wound across the country during the early 1800s. It was during this period a young Abraham Lincoln -- decades from becoming the country's 16th president -- is thought to have been first introduced to the game.

Soon after turning 22, Lincoln was hired with others to build and sail a flatboat from Illinois to New Orleans to deliver a produce shipment. The trip eventually carried them down the Mississippi where card sharps on steamboats had already begun fleecing unwitting travelers in their floating poker games.

Arriving in New Orleans, Lincoln encountered much that was new, including slave traders' posts advertising prices for human lives. He also is said by some to have encountered poker, having traveled directly to the game's birthplace and site of numerous early gaming dens. Later as president, Lincoln referred to poker when addressing a question of diplomacy during the Civil War, revealing his familiarity with the game.

While little is known of the games Lincoln played, most agree he likely played for the lowest stakes. That is, "penny-ante" games -- some three-quarters of a century before his own likeness would be added to one-cent copper coins.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1901-1909, Republican)

After leading the Union to victory in the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant became the country's 18th president and while in office enjoyed poker. So did numerous other politicians as the 19th century came to a close. Among that group was Theodore Roosevelt who used poker as a way to gain entry into social circles while moving up through the ranks to the vice presidency.

Following William McKinley's assassination in 1901, TR took office as the country's 26th president. Before his first term ended he began advancing a series of domestic policies presented as the "Square Deal."

Much as poker had been dominated by cheating -- particularly in the saloons and on the steamboats of the Old West -- more games were being played "on the square" as the new century began. Similarly TR's "Square Deal" sought to protect consumers against overly powerful businesses, creating a level playing field for all.

"All I ask is a square deal for every man," he wrote. "Give him a fair chance. Do not let him wrong any one, and do not let him be wronged."

Clarifying his position in a 1905 speech after being elected on his own, TR was even more explicit about the poker analogy.

"When I say I believe in a square deal I do not mean... [it's] possible to give every man the best hand," he said, revealing a keen understanding of poker's chance element. "All I mean is that there shall not be any crookedness in the dealing."

WARREN G. HARDING (1921-1923, Republican)

Theodore Roosevelt's successor, William Howard Taft, also played poker, occasionally joining games hosted by the industrialist Henry Frick. But no president had ever previously shown such dedication to poker as would the nation's 29th president -- Warren G. Harding.

Harding would only serve just two-and-a-half years before death cut short his tenure. Though Harding was popular, his administration was found to be corrupt in numerous ways, the Teapot Dome scandal the most notable. Nor did the revelation of Harding's extra-marital affairs help his posthumous reputation.

During much of his presidency, Harding hosted poker games twice a week with members of his administration, earning them the nickname the "Poker Cabinet." Players smoked and drank whiskey (despite the Prohibition), with Harding insistent he not be treated any differently by others by virtue of his higher rank.

"Forget that I'm President of the United States," he is famously quoted as having said to his fellow players. "I'm Warren Harding, playing poker with friends, and I'm going to beat the hell out of them."

One (perhaps apocryphal) account of Harding's card playing doesn't exactly endorse his skills as a gambler. According to the story, the socialite Louise Cromwell Brooks (first wife of General Douglas MacArthur) was a guest, and Harding played a game of "cold hand" with her -- just a game of high-card -- saying that whoever won could name the stakes. When Brooks won she chose the White House china as her prize, and Harding had it delivered to her the next day.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (1933-1945, Democrat)

While Harding's successor Calvin Coolidge enjoyed poker, next-in-line Herbert Hoover was less of a fan. Hoover had been part of Harding's cabinet (as Secretary of Commerce), but declined games with the president, later writing that while he didn't mind poker, "it irked me to see it in the White House."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt followed Hoover as the nation's 32nd president, bringing back the poker-playing tradition with low-stakes games several times a week, often nickel-ante stud. Some claim even to have heard FDR riffling chips during his famous radio "Fireside Chats."

Following the footsteps of his fifth cousin Theodore, FDR likewise employed a poker metaphor to describe his "New Deal" series of programs aimed at fostering recovery from the Depression.

FDR hosted games on the final night of each Congressional session, and whoever led when the session adjourned was declared the winner. Once FDR was down when the call came, but didn't let on to the others the session was over. Hours later he was ahead, then had a phone brought to him and reported the session had ended, making him the winner.

John Nance Garner, FDR's first VP, was a reputed stud expert, although didn't receive invites to the president's games, especially after disagreements during FDR's second term cooled their relationship. In 1940 Garner ran for president himself, but Roosevelt chose to run for a third term and was reelected by a wide margin.

In stud terms, Garner had expected a fold, but FDR chose to stay in the hand.

HARRY TRUMAN (1945-1953, Democrat)

Apart from Warren G. Harding, 33rd president Harry Truman played the most poker while in office. In fact, the evening Truman learned of FDR's passing he was due to play a poker game, but necessarily canceled his appearance.

Truman brought with him friends to fill positions under him, a group dubbed "The Missouri Gang" with whom he often played. He even went so far as to have a special chip set made featuring the presidential seal.

On Truman's desk appeared a sign reading "The Buck Stops Here," a personal slogan with a poker-related origin, referring to the buck-knife once used in place of a button. Like both Roosevelts, his "Fair Deal" proposals again evoked poker when naming a domestic agenda.

A dedicated player, though not overly serious about results, Truman preferred stud games with wild cards, with stakes reaching hundreds of dollars. Truman appointed Fred Vinson -- one of many regulars in the games -- Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1946. That same year Truman famously played poker with Winston Churchill aboard a train on the way to Westminster College where the statesman would deliver his iconic "Iron Curtain" speech.

Truman also was playing stud with a group of reporters aboard the U.S.S. Augusta at the moment the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima. There's another bit of poker-related trivia associated with the WWII-ending attack -- two planes used for weather reconnaissance in advance of the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were named Straight Flush and Full House.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (1953-1961, Republican)

The 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, rose to prominence not through politics but as a five-star general and Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during WWII.

Eisenhower learned poker growing up in Texas, calling it his "favorite indoor sport." At West Point he routinely beat all-comers, eventually stopping for a while when his opponents became unable to pay him. After graduation he continued to play while working his way up the Army chain of command, once buying a uniform with his winnings.

One story from this time finds Eisenhower outing a cheat attempting to mark cards in a game of stud. In another later one he was serving under General George Patton at Camp Meade, again dominating games among fellow officers. Once he discovered an opponent having to cash his family's war bonds in order to pay Eisenhower what he owed, after which Ike conspired with others to lose purposefully to the soldier in order to help him recoup his losses.

"This was not achieved easily," Eisenhower would later write. "One of the hardest things known to man is to make a fellow win at poker who plays as if bent on losing every nickel."

The experience made Eisenhower less enthusiastic about the game. "I decided I had to quit playing," he wrote. "It was not because I didn't enjoy the excitement of the game -- I really love to play. But it had become clear that it was no game to play in the Army."

RICHARD NIXON (1969-1974, Republican)

While Eisenhower's successor John F. Kennedy preferred bridge, Lyndon B. Johnson played poker and, according to one highly dubious tale, won a sports car from Ronald Reagan in a high-stakes game. But Eisenhower's VP (and LBJ's successor) was perhaps the most studious poker-playing president of all -- 37th president Richard Nixon.

A professor of Nixon's once remarked that a man who couldn't hold a hand in a first-class poker game isn't fit to be president. His most famous pupil became proficient at poker while serving in the Navy during WWII, earning perhaps as much as $10,000 which he used to help fund his first Congressional campaign. So taken with poker, Nixon even turned down dinner with famous flyer Charles Lindbergh as he was hosting a game that night.

Nixon often told of once making a royal flush in five-card stud. A fellow officer later claimed he "once saw him bluff a lieutenant commander out of $1,500 with a pair of deuces."

He'd continue to play as a politician, although according to House member Tip O'Neill, Nixon wasn't as great as some claim. "He had a very fine grasp at politics but was just miserable at poker," wrote O'Neill, adding "he talked too much and didn't follow the cards."

One of Nixon's greatest political triumphs came early in his career when calling the bluff of suspected spy Alger Hiss. But later "Tricky Dick" failed to bluff his way out of Watergate, eventually "folding" as the only president to resign from office.

BARACK OBAMA (2008-present, Democrat)

Current White House resident and 44th president Barack Obama likewise lists poker among his hobbies, although more was made of his playing prior to being first elected in 2008 than has been the case since.

Much like had happened with Theodore Roosevelt, poker helped Obama network early in his political career. He played in a weekly game with fellow state senators in Illinois prior to his rise to the national stage. An escape from the legislative grind, the games involved participants from both sides of the aisle, enabling Obama and others to develop relationships over the poker table that proved beneficial when entering into negotiations in the senate.

The games were for low stakes, with wins and losses only rarely reaching a hundred dollars during a single evening. A colleague, Terry Link, explained to poker historian James McManus how Obama played a "calculated" game, showing patience and developing a tight enough image that "when Barack stayed in, you pretty much figured he's got a good hand." Such an image enabled Obama to run the occasional bluff, too, with his "stone face" often helping him earn folds to his bets.

There hasn't been much news of Obama playing poker during his two terms in office, although earlier this year he did reveal he carries a "lucky poker chip" given to him by a voter while campaigning back in 2007. Obama was quick to add he wasn't superstitious, but carries the chip (and other keepsakes) as a reminder of those he's met.

Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

Weekend highlights on PokerStars

* Chad Walker wins Sunday Million for...Anguilla?
* JiiJay takes down MicroMillions Main Event

You want action? You should've been playing on PokerStars this weekend.

From a full slate of weekend majors to the finale of MicroMillions, the dollars, euros, and pounds were flying all over the place.

Need a quick recap? We have it below.

Sunday Million

It's not often you see the tiny island of Anguilla get some poker recognition, but that's exactly what happened in this weekend's Sunday Million.

As Kristin Bihr wrote early this morning, Chad "ihaterivers" Walker, who re-located after Black Friday, brought fame and $194,371 to the island.

Here's how the rest of the final table fared.

Players: 6,842 (5,693 entries, 1,149 re-entries)
Prize pool: $1,368,400.00
Places paid: 980

1. Chad "ihaterivers" Walker (Anguilla) $194,371.87
2. Conglomo222 (Argentina) $134,518.09
3. willywonko37 (Russia) $93,097.04
4. zipp1986 (Netherlands) $64,430.56
5. SuperdupaMAN (Norway) $44,590.95
6. Cäsaro (Austria) $30,860.43
7. Manig "swordfish007" Loeser (Austria) $21,357.71
8. eilev (Norrway) $14,781.18
9. kefffff (Paraguay) $10,229.61

MicroMillions12

Meanwhile, the MicroMillions finished the last of its whopping 90 events over the weekend. The biggest show was the $22 Main Event that ended up drawing nearly 54,000 players. The prize pool soared to more than $1.3 million.

When it was done, Finland's JiiJay had topped them all and earned more than $82,000.

Here's a complete list of all the winners and their prizes since Friday morning.

Weekend winners

That wasn't all the action going over the weekend. Want to see how the weekend majors finished up? Here's a snapshot of the winners. For a full list, visit our July 30-31, 2016 PokerStars Weekend Majors results page.

We hope your weekend was somewhere close to as successful as everyone above, and if not, good luck next weekend. Feel like talking about it? Head over to our @PokerStarsBlog account and we'll listen.

On a return trip to the final table of the Sunday Million, poker pro Chad "ihaterivers" Walker put on a clinic in big-stack play en route to his first major online title. Having finished eighth in the Milly in June of last year, the American ex-pat topped his career-best online score of $160k, earned in a third-place finish in the 2014 WCOOP. It only took three hands of heads-up play for ihaterivers to put away Argentina's Conglomo222, who in another eye-popping feat, finished in second place tonight after coming in 12th last week.

That's not to mention the couples' last longer that was still going strong well into the tournament's tenth hour. Both halves of poker couple Kristen "krissyb24" Bicknell and Manig "swordfish007" Loeser made the final four tables. Two-time WSOP bracelet winner Bicknell busted out in 32nd place, while Loeser advanced to the final table and finished seventh.

The conclusion of the 2016 World Series of Poker (and the ensuing "recovery" week) no doubt contributed to the bumper field of 6,842 entries in this week's Million. 980 players earned a share of the $1,368,400.00 prize pool with $194,371.87 up top.

When ten players remained, the blinds were up to 100,000/200,000. Short stack Tibikuss found [As][8d] and moved in for his last 1.38 million from the cutoff, only to have Conglomo222 reshove from the small blind. Conglomo222 turned over [Ah][Tc] and his dominating hand held up on the [7h][7c][7s][3s][4d] board, sending Tibikuss to the rail and the rest of the field to the final table.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: Conglomo222 (14,445,495 in chips)
Seat 2: Cäsaro (5,940,116 in chips)
Seat 3: zipp1986 (7,628,293 in chips)
Seat 4: ihaterivers (11,614,359 in chips)
Seat 5: swordfish007 (4,057,854 in chips)
Seat 6: kefffff (4,843,345 in chips)
Seat 7: eilev (2,525,091 in chips)
Seat 8: willywonko37 (7,612,252 in chips)
Seat 9: SuperdupaMAN (9,753,195 in chips)

One of the shorter stacks to start the final table, Manig "swordfish007" Loeser saw the action fold to him in the small blind and he made it 604,150 to go with [Qs][Jd]. Kefffff called and they saw a [Jh][6d][2h] flop. Loeser led out for 594,160 with top pair, kefffff moved all-in for 4.9 million and Loeser called. Kefffff revealed [Th][6h] for middle pair and a flush draw. The [Ac] turn did nothing for kefffff and the [Jc] river gave Loeser trips to win the 10.7 million pot. Kefffff was left with only 246,000 and committed it preflop on the next hand, with initial raiser ihaterivers and big blind eilev coming along to see the [Ts][5s][2c] flop. Eilev checked, ihaterivers bet 450,000, and eilevl moved in for 2.78 million. Ihaterivers called.

eilev [9c][9h]
ihaterivers [Qd][Td]
kefffff [Th][7d]

The turn brought the [Jd], the river was the [3h] and ihaterivers's tens with a queen kicker took down the pot, ending kefffff's run in ninth place and eilev's in eighth. Second in chips to start the final table, ihaterivers moved past Conglomo222 to take the lead with 15.75 million.

Swordfish007 lost more than two-thirds of his stack in a hand where he limped in from the small blind, then called willywonko37's 820,000 raise. He check-called wollywonko37's flop, turn, and river bets on the [Ts][9h][2s][Ah][6d] board, but could not beat [As][Td] at showdown. Willywonko37 raked in the 14.1 million pot while swordfish007 slipped to 3.5 million.

Little more than an orbit later, the blinds were up to 175,000/350,000 and the action folded to swordfish007 in the cutoff. He moved in for 3.51 million with [Ah][Qs] and Conglomo222 called from the big blind with [5c][5s]. Conglomo222's pocket pair won the race on the [Kc][9c][6c][8h][2h] board and swordfish007 hit the rail in seventh place.

When play turned six-handed, ihaterivers held a comfortable lead with 25.6 million, Conglomo222 sat in second with 18.8 million, and the other four held stacks ranging from 2.5 to 11.7 million. Cäsaro was the shortest of the bunch and when ihaterivers made a UTG raise to 750,000, he moved all-in for 2.49 million with [As][3d]. Ihaterivers called the additional 1.75 million with [9c][Tc] and hit a boffo flop when the first three fell [Th][Td][3c]. The [3s] turn made ihaterivers tens full and Cäsaro went out in sixth place.

Next to make a stand was SuperdupaMAN, who moved in for his last 14BB with [Jc][Td] on the button. Conglomo222 looked him up with [5h][5c] in the small blind, and the pair held up on the nine-high board, ending SuperdupaMAN's run in fifth.

With that pot, Conglomo222 moved up to 26 million, ever closer to ihaterivers' 28.4 million. However, he lost a bit back when he doubled up zipp1986, his [As][Qd] falling to pocket jacks in a 10 million pot. As the tournament went to its hourly break, ihaterivers polled his opponents about a potential deal. Although zipp1986 was willling to talk, willywonko37 put the kibosh on it.

No sooner did the break end, when willywonko37 opened for 1.2 million and zipp1986 three-bet shoved for 10 million. Willywonko37 called, his pocket sevens up against [As][Kc]. A king hit the flop for zipp1986 and willywonko37 was crushed, only 2.2 million remaining in his stack. However, the resilient Russian doubled twice in the next three hands to muscle back up to 8.3 million.

Just as willywonko37 rebounded, zipp1986 took a tumble. All-in preflop with [As][Qs] against Conglomo222's pocket nines, zlpp1986's stack crumbled when Conglomo222 flopped a set of nines and turned nines full on a [Kd][9d][5d][Kh][Qh] board. Five hands later, zipp1986 open-shoved for 5.02 million with [Qc][9c] on the button and willywonko37 called with [As][4c] from the big blind. Willywonko37 flopped a pair of fours and they held up to send zipp1986 home in fourth place.

Three-handed play began with ihaterivers holding 30 million, Conglomo222 was close behind with 24.7 million and willywonko37 was the short stack with 13.7 million. That's when the pot of the tournament unfolded.

Willywonko37 folded the button and Conglomo222 raised to 1.6 million from the small blind. Ihaterivers three-bet to 4.7 million and Conglomo222 called. Both players checked the [Js][8d][2s] flop. The turn came the [9h] and Conglomo222 checked to ihaterivers, who bet 4.5 million. Conglomo222 called. The river was the [3s], putting a potential flush on board. Again Conglomo222 checked. With 20 million behind and Conglomo222 holding 14.4 million behind, ihaterivers bet 10 million into the 18.5 million pot. Conglomo222 had a lengthy tank before deciding to call. Ihaterivers turned over [8s][9d] for two pair and Conglomo222 mucked. Ihaterivers raked in the 38.5 million pot while Conglomo222 was left with only 4.4 million.

Two hands later, the clouds parted for Conglomo222 as he doubled through willywonko37, his [Kd][Qs] turning a pair of queens against willywonko37's [Ac][5d]. Shortly thereafter, Conglomo222 open-shoved on the button for 10.4 million and willywonko37 called all-in from the big blind. Willywonko37 was in terrific shape with [Jc][Jd] against [7d][7s], but a seven on the flop reversed his fortune. Conglomo222 took down the pot with a set and willywonko37 was suddenly on the rail in third place.

Heads-up chip counts

Seat 1: Conglomo222 (17,204,518 in chips)
Seat 4: ihaterivers (51,215,482 in chips)

It only took three hands for ihaterivers to put away Conglomo222. Conglomo222 folded to a turn raise on the first hand and in the second, ihaterivers flopped middle pair and got two streets of value before they checked down the river on a [Qs][6h][8d][Ac][Jd] board. Ihaterivers' [4c][8s] held up and Conglomo222 was left with 3.18 million.

On the final hand, ihaterivers moved in on the button and Conglomo222 called.

ihaterivers [Qh][Th]
Conglomo222 [Ac][Tc]

Ihaterivers' hand was dominated, but a queen hit the flop, the board finishing out [Qd][3h][2c][2h][6s] to lock up the win.

Congratulations to ihaterivers on joining the ranks of Sunday Million champions! He banked $194,371.87 for the win, while runner-up Conglomo222 earned $134,518.09.

PokerStars Sunday Million results for 7-31-2016
Players: 6,842 (5,693 entries, 1,149 re-entries)
Prize pool: $1,368,400.00
Places paid: 980

1. Chad "ihaterivers" Walker (Anguilla) $194,371.87
2. Conglomo222 (Argentina) $134,518.09
3. willywonko37 (Russia) $93,097.04
4. zipp1986 (Netherlands) $64,430.56
5. SuperdupaMAN (Norway) $44,590.95
6. Cäsaro (Austria) $30,860.43
7. Manig "swordfish007" Loeser (Austria) $21,357.71
8. eilev (Norrway) $14,781.18
9. kefffff (Paraguay) $10,229.61